1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to lasts for use in making cycling shoes, lasts and cycling shoe soles, and a method of making shoes using the last.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
A conventional last for use in making cycling shoes has a flat, sole supporting surface, and includes no device for setting the sole in position. In making a cycling shoe, a shoe sole is simply placed on the sole supporting surface, a quarter of the shoe is placed around the last, and the sole and quarter are joined.
With the above conventional last, however, the shoe sole placed on the sole supporting surface of the last would easily become displaced relative to this surface, making it difficult to join the sole and quarter of the shoe in an accurate positional relationship. Since the positional relationship between the foot that wears the shoe and a cleat mounting bore is determined mainly by the quarter of the shoe, the relationship between the foot and the cleat attached to the mounting bore becomes inappropriate, and hence a sufficient pedaling force cannot be transmitted from the cyclist's leg to a bicycle pedal. Even where the mounting bore allows positional adjustment of the cleat, only a narrow range of adjustment is available since the center of the mounting bore does not coincide with the center of the range of adjustment. Furthermore, certain parts of the shoe interior become larger and other parts smaller than design specifications. As a result, the foot is unduly squeezed to impair circulation of the blood or insufficiently braced by the shoe to create play inside, which could result in shoe sores and the like.